3 – System Safety

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses system safety and semantics. The Department of Defense loses about 210 aircrafts and a like number of highly trained aviators each year from accidents. In the civil aviation field, the motivations for safety are theoretically the same and may be a bit greater than for military aviation. Following the loss of a Boeing 747 with a large passenger load, for example, probably well over $100 million would change hands among various parties. However, in addition to the moral, economic, and mission factors, the civil world seems to react to self-preservation and public pressures more than does the military. In terms of fatalities, civil aviation experiences a small proportion of total transportation losses on the order of 4%. Hence, some comments heard privately question the need for continuing aggressive air safety efforts. Fortunately, other commentators are keeping things in better perspective. As long as it is possible to have high fatality–density accidents, people are not safe enough. Pilots, other crew, maintenance personnel, and air traffic controllers are not only parts of the causation sequence from time to time but they are also the principal accident preventers.